Feast in the West End

Ellice Ave café featuring First Nations inspired cuisine opens doors to the public

Owners of Feast Café Bistro hope to add diversity to the culinary scene in Winnipeg with First Nations ingredients and dishes.

The new café opened on Dec. 10 in the former Ellice Café and Theatre at 587 Ellice Ave.

If you’re wanting to take a break from the cold weather, in need of a boost of energy, or have sweet tooth, Feast Café serves various teas, coffee, cappuccinos, lattes and desserts.

“I hope that (Feast Café) becomes a community hot-spot for people that live in the area. I also hope that (it) can also bring people from all over Winnipeg and the country to experience something different and experience something I would say real, true Canadian food,” Christa Bruneau-Guenther says.

Bruneau-Guenther owns Feast Café and is co-owner of 585 and 587 Ellice Ave., which are home to the Adam Beach Film Institute and Bandwidth Theatre.

Among other dishes, the menu at Feast Café offers traditional “Tipi” tacos, bannock pizzas, and burgers made from bison meat. Salads and dishes such as pickerel sliders and wild smoked salmon are also offered along with domestic beers and house wines. Feast Café also serves breakfast until 11 a.m.

Adam Beach, namesake and co-owner of the Film Institute and Winnipeg-raised Hollywood actor, showed up to Feast’s opening day on Dec 10.

Beach shares a similar goal with Bruneau-Guenther when it comes to making a positive impact.

“I see us exploring our relationship and partnership and (bringing) a more positive impact to this neighbourhood of the West End,” Beach says.

“You walk around there’s a lot of drugs, a lot of alcohol, a lot violence in Winnipeg and not just in the West End. We can show the vibrant nature of another side, which is very friendly and family oriented. We’re out to give a more positive perspective when it comes to Aboriginal people,” Beach says.

Once Feast has established its roots, Bruneau-Guenther hopes to donate 50 cents from each Tipi Taco sold to the Adam Beach Film Institute, a non-profit organization. With each coffee sold, Bruneau-Guenther hopes to give 10 cents to support youth suicide prevention.

Daphne Rogoza is excited about the opening of Feast Café. Once a regular of Ellice Café and Theatre, Rogoza would drive to the West End to see if anything had opened in the vacant establishment.

“I really like to see that they’ve maintained the character of the place. It looks really wonderful … I’m very excited that it offers a First Nations mix. It’s very timely,” Rogoza says.

Feast Cafe and Bistro is open Monday to Thursday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday to Saturday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and is closed on Sundays.

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